What’s the difference between a dot-matrix Docket printer and a thermal receipt printer?
Dot matrix printers:
use a series of very small pins that rapidly impact against a ribbon, which causes an image to be transferred to a sheet of paper. Dot matrix printers are reliable and have the lowest operating costs although they are louder than thermal printers.
Dot matrix or “Impact” printer are favoured in restaurant Kitchens, as the heat in the kitchen will not cause the information on the plain paer docket to fade (as can be the case with Thermal printer paper) Also, you can make the docket text print in RED, to make special instructions stand out in the Kitchen.
Thermal Printers :
use special heat sensitive paper and create images onto the paper. Thermal printers print faster and are quieter than dot-matrix printers and have fewer moving components. Operating costs are higher on thermal printers because of the thermal paper rolls they have to use. Their speed and quietness, mean they are favoured as “receipt printers” at the POS.